Vehicle-wheel.



I A. GRUENEWALD & E. G. WRIGHT.

VEHIGLE WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 12, 1907.

. Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

.QZZaiZ Y pins or stems 4.

' the spokes 2.

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WALTER A. GEUENEWALD AND EMMETT Gr. WRIGHT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

- VEHIoLE-WEEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909. 1

Application filed November 12, 1907. Serial No. 401,864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WALTER A. GRUENE- WALD and EMMETT G. WRIGHT, bothcitizens of the United States, and residents of St. Louis, Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Vehicle-Nheels, ofwhich the ollowing is a specification containing a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part hereof.

Our invention relates to a vehicle wheel, and our object being toconstruct a wheel wherein springs are arranged between the spokes andtherim and tire in order to obtain a yielding or cushioning effect whilethe wheel is in operation without the use of the usual pneumatic tires.

.To the above pur oses', our inventionconsists of certain nove featuresof construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter morefully set forth, ointed out in the claims, and illustrated in' t eaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a wheel ofour improved construction with part of the rim in section; Fig. 2' is anenlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1Fig. 3 is a view looking at the inner edge of the rim, and showing anumber of the spokes in section. l

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings :'1 designates thehub of the wheel in which is'seated the spokes 2, and rigidly fixed onthe ends of said spokes are sockets 3, with which are formed integralthe 5 designates a solid rim, preferably formed of metal, and arrangedon said rim is a solid rubber tire 6.

7 designates rings or plates which are secured by means of bolts orrivets 8 to the rim 5, and the outer edges of the plates extendbeyondsaid rim and engage the side faces of the tire 6. The plates? areheld together by bolts or rivets 9, and formed integral with the inneredges of said plates are the extensions 10, which serve as housings forthe outer ends of Located within the housings formed by these extensionsll) are the lates 11, which are slotted, as designated y 12, said platesbearing against the outer ends of the sockets 3, with the pins or stems4 passing through said slots 12. The inner ends of coll springs 13 arefixedin any suitable manner to the outer faces of the plates 11, and theouter ends of, said springs being arranged in sockets 14 formed on theinner face of the rim 5-.

Fixed in any suitable manner to the outer end of each socket 3 andcon oposite sides thereof are flat springs 15, the f ee ends of which bearagainst the inner ends of the eX- tensions 10, thus providing means foryield ingly resisting thevertical movement 'of theouter ends of the sokes when the same 00-- cupy a horizontal p aner I When a wheel of ourim roved construction is in use, the weight of t e loaduponthe axle istransmitted by means of the hub and spokes to the lower spring or seriesof springs 13, and said spokes will be compressed corres ondin to theweight of the load, and the hu -and a ll of the spokes will shift ormove downward to a slight degree relative the rim 5, tire 6, and plate 7which movement is possible owing to the arrangement of the springs 13between the ends of the spokes and the rim 5, and the arrangement of thepin and slot connection between the ends of the spokes and the plates11. The openings between the ends of the extensions 10 permit the s okesto move vertically when in horizonta ositions, and which movement is opose .by the flat springs 15.

y utilizing coil s rin s of roper tension, the rim of the whee will yietive the hub and spokes while in use, and

d readily rela practically the same resiliency is obtained as fwhere anordinary pneumatic tire is'used.

e claim:- 1. In a vertical wheel, the combination with. the usual huband spokes, of a rim,- plates secured to the sides of said rim andinclosing the outer ends of the spokes, springs interposed betweentherirn and the ends of the s okes, and springs fixed to the spokes andiiearing against adjacent portrons of the lates.

2. A vehic e wheel, comprising a hub and spokes, a solid rim, a tirearranged on the I rim, plates secured to the rim and i nclosing theouter ends of the spokes, springs interposed between the rim and theinner ends of the spokes, and sprin s fixed "to the spokes and bearingagainst a acent portions of the plates.

3. A vehicle wheel, comprising a hub and spokes, stems projecting fromthe outer-ends of the spokes, a solid mm, a flexible tire arranged onthe rim, plates secured to the rim I and inclosing the outer ends of thespokes,

slotted letes-arranged at the outer ends of the spo es and the stems onthe ends of the spokes assing through the ends of the slots in said estmentioned plates, springs interposed between the rim and the slottedplates, and-flat springs fixed to the outer ends of the s okes andbearing against adjacent portions 0. the plates carried by the rim.

In testimony whereqf, have signed our 10 names to this specificatlon, inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER A. GRUENEWALD.

EMMETT G; WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

' M. P. SMITH,

E. L. WALLACE.

